A new 30-foot-long dinosaur has just been discovered in Alaska, according to a team of researchers who believe the dino once stomped through snow and endured months of winter darkness.

The duck-billed plant eater, named Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis meaning "ancient grazer of the Colville River," is the northernmost dinosaur known to have ever lived, Florida State University professor of biological science Greg Erickson and his colleagues say.

Colville River refers to the place where the dino remains, dated to 69 million years ago, were found. The site, the Prince Creek Formation, is in northern Alaska.

"The finding of dinosaurs this far north challenges everything we thought about a dinosaur's physiology," Erickson said in a press release. "It creates this natural question. How did they survive up here?"

Not very well, at least for a herd of U. kukkpikensis juveniles whose remains - along with those of older individuals - were found by the paleontologists. Measuring about 9 feet tall, the young dinosaurs in the herd suddenly died at once, the researchers believe, although the cause of death remains a mystery for now.

Despite this tragedy, it appears that multiple animals lived in the region at the time. They included this new species of dinosaur, plus at least 12 other dino species, based on teeth and other remains. Birds, small mammals and some fish rounded out the diverse ecosystem.

Earth's climate was much warmer then, on average, and what is now Arctic Alaska was covered in trees. Still, because the area was so far north, the scientists believe that the dinosaurs likely contended with months of winter darkness. Temperatures averaged about 43 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dinosaurs probably experienced snow.

"What we're finding is basically this lost world of dinosaurs with many new forms completely new to science," Erickson, who is originally from Alaska, said.

He added, "It's virtually unexplored in terms of vertebrate paleontology. So, we think we're going to find a lot of new species."

Some 18,000 new species have been found over the past several months, with a handful making the "Top 10 New Species for 2015" list.
The annual list is created by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Each year's list actually pulls from discoveries made during the previous year.
"The last vast unexplored frontier on Earth is the biosphere," said ESF president Quentin Wheeler in a press release. "We have only begun to explore the astonishing origin, history, and diversity of life."
First on the list is the so-called "Chicken from Hell" dinosaur.
"It was a giant raptor, but with a chicken-like head and presumably feathers," co-discoverer Emma Schachner of the University of Utah explained. "The animal stood about 10 feet tall, so it would be scary as well as absurd to encounter."

is a parasitic plant that is incapable of photosynthesis. It instead draws its nutrients from other living plants.
It has elongated, repeatedly branching and rough-textured tubers. Researchers say these tubers are "peculiar," and give the plant a coral-like appearance.

really earned its nickname, the "cartwheeling spider."
The agile arachnid uses a mixture of running and cartwheels to escape dangers and to avoid overheating in its Moroccan desert habitat.
Scientists have already created a robot inspired by the speedy spider.

This species might look like a mushroom, but it's actually a multi-cellular animal, according to an ESF fact sheet. Its mouth is at the end of the "stem."

Dendrogramma enigmatica

was found on the sea floor off Point Hicks, Victoria, at a depth of 3200 feet.
Scientists describe the marine animals as "living fossils," since they resemble the remains of certain organisms that lived during the Precambrian period millions of years ago.

, aka the "bone-house wasp." This macabre wasp stacks ant corpses into the walls of its home, shown here.
"It was a totally unexpected discovery," said Michael Staab, a researcher at the University of Freiburg in Germany, whose team found the wasp.
Staab and his team suspect that the pungent smell released by the decaying ants could help to repel predators. The ant most commonly found in the wasp's nest is an aggressive species with a nasty sting that other creatures try to avoid.
The smell of these ants alone may be enough to keep intruders at bay.

gives birth to tadpoles that are deposited in pools of water. On one occasion, a female frog even gave birth to a tadpole in the hand of a scientist as she was being captured.
The ESF fact sheet says that fewer than a dozen of the world's 6,455 frog species have internal fertilization, and all except this new species lay fertilized eggs or give birth to tiny froglets.

belongs to a family of insects known as "giant sticks."
At 9 inches long, however, it's more like a big bug than a formidable giant. This insect is common in the Vietnam town of Tam Dao, which is frequented by entomologists.
It's a testament to the insect's mastery of disguise that it wasn't discovered until recently.

The word "slug" is usually not associated with beauty, but this multi-hued species is a rare exception. The slug's graceful lines and vivid coloration make it quite photogenic.
The slug's gut holds something of interest to scientists too: photosynthetic algae. The slugs feed on the algae, which continue to produce nutrients even after sequestered in the consumer's gut. This gives the eye-catching slugs an extra nutritional boost.

Sometimes new discoveries are right under our noses. This colorful bromeliad was commonly used by villagers during Christmas celebrations in various towns in Mexico. When scientists took a closer look at it, they realized it was a previously unrecorded plant species.
The "Feliz Navidad" or "Merry Christmas" bromeliad grows up to 5 feet tall in rocky habitat located at certain parts of Morelos, Mexico.
Stemless, solitary plants are found on cliffs and vertical walls in forests at altitudes between 6,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. The plant's flowering begins in December and can last through March.

This pufferfish has at least a few claims to fame.
First, its mating involves love bites, like the one captured in the photograph. Second, males construct intricate circles with geometric designs on the seafloor off the coast of Amami-Ōshima Island. The structures, measuring about 6 feet in diameter, function as spawning nests. They not only attract the attention of females, but also help to minimize ocean currents with their carefully designed ridges and grooves.
While this pufferfish rounds out the top 10 for 2015, Wheeler and his team are already contemplating what new species might be found next.
He said, "It is time to mount a mission to planet Earth to distinguish, describe, name and classify its life-forms before it is too late. The Top 10 is a reminder of the wonders awaiting us."